One of the saddest aspects of the Dolphins story is how far it deviates from the roots of the organization. My father, John Sandusky, coached the Miami Dolphins offensive line in 70's, 80's, and 90's. Don Shula provided a caliber of leadership that created a culture where behavior would never veer that far off the path of acceptable—largely because other players, other leaders would intervene. At some levels, this story is filled with complexity and nuance. At other levels it is cut and dry. The most effective leaders create culture and ethic—work and play ethic. They aren't perfect. But they notice when the members of their organization have deviated from the culture and they course correct before it's too late.

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